Mobile sauna is a low-supply niche; many operators are newer to the business. These 8 questions tell you which are pros and which aren't.
1. "Are you insured? Can I see the certificate?"
Most important. General liability + auto insurance standard. Cost: $1,500-$3,000/year. Real pro emails certificate in 5 minutes. Hesitation = walk away.
2. "What's the unit? Wood-fired or electric?"
Pro answers immediately. Wood-fired = authentic Finnish experience, 200°F+, longer heat-up. Electric = simpler, 180-200°F, faster setup. Either works — but the operator should know what they have + recommend based on use case.
3. "Do you provide a cold plunge or contrast option?"
Premium experience requires cold plunge. The operators who say "yes, we always include it" or "yes for $X add-on" are doing it right. The ones who say "we don't really do that" haven't built the experience right.
4. "How long does setup take? When will you arrive?"
Right answer: "We arrive 60-90 min before session start, setup + heat-up takes that full window." Pro respects your time + gets the unit to temp before guests arrive.
Wrong: "We'll be there 30 min before, depends." Setup mid-event = unprofessional.
5. "What's your safety + waiver process?"
Right: "Every guest signs a liability waiver. We brief on contraindications (pregnancy, heart conditions, certain meds), proper rotation, hydration." A pro has this scripted.
Wrong: "Oh, you're all adults, you'll figure it out." Liability nightmare.
6. "Can I see real photos of recent setups?"
Pro has dozens. Texts 5-10 within minutes. Stock images = red flag. Their Instagram is the test — 50+ posts of real setups = solid; mostly stock = newer or sloppy.
7. "What's your cancellation + weather policy?"
Pro: "50% non-refundable deposit at booking, balance 7 days out. Weather-driven cancels get one free reschedule within 6 weeks." Reasonable + clear.
8. "What's included vs add-on?"
Pro lists transparently: "2-hour session for 6 people = $375 includes setup, teardown, fuel, sanitization. Cold plunge add-on $100. Towels + robes provided. Travel within zone included; outside zone +$1.50/mile."
Vague answers = unclear billing later.
The bottom line
5 minutes on a phone call. Browse vetted mobile sauna operators with insurance + reviews visible.